The vast majority of commercially marketed new electrical appliances are subject to product registration for warranty and other purposes. Also, it is desirable to provide a unique identification number on the appliance, and for most appliances it is also desirable or necessary (to conform to national law) to provide information about the appliance directly on the appliance, including energy cost information. According to the present invention, all of these needs are accomplished utilizing a particular single business form, and the individual label components of the business form also are advantageous per se.
According to the present invention, on the same business form is provided product (e.g. appliance) registration information (such as for warranty purposes), an informational label (typically appliance energy cost information), and an identification label. The labels and the product registration information are associated together on the same form which is adapted to be imaged by an impact or non-impact printer with variable information, such as the identification number of the appliance, providing a much simplified procedure for the appliance manufacturer or shipper, while at the same providing advantages to the ultimate consumer. According to the present invention the label providing appliance information (such as energy cost information) has repositional adhesive so that when it is applied to an appliance it can be readily removed by the ultimate consumer without the need for scraping (which may cause damage to the appliance finish), and without leaving unsightly residues.
The business form of the invention also includes a permanent adhesive label which is adapted to take the place of the metal ID plates commonly provided on appliances. Metal ID plates may scrape floors or walls during installation, are relatively expensive, and require significant time to affix to the appliance. The permanent adhesive labels according to the invention, however, have UL, AGA and CSA approval for electronic appliances and components, and may be made of durable paper, plastic film, or metal foil. Since all the components of the business form may be variably imaged with the same information (e.g. an appliance ID number) and then readily removed from (e.g. either peeled off or detached from by perforations) the paper substrate forming the business form, they significantly simplify procedures for appliance manufacturers or shippers.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a business form is provided comprising the following elements: A paper substrate having top and bottom surfaces. Static printing on the top surface. A release material spot coating on the top surface, covering a first portion of the top surface of a size significantly less than the entire top surface. A removable label with repositional adhesive applied over the release material spot coating, with the repositional adhesive of the removable label contacting the spot coating. And a permanent piggyback label with permanent adhesive applied to a second portion of the top surface, spaced from the first portion.
The removable label may cover part of the static printing, which is exposed when the removable label is removed. Perforation lines may be provided in the substrate bordering the static printing. The static printing preferably comprises appliance registration information (e.g. for warranty purposes), and a common ID number is preferably provided on all of the paper substrate, removable label, and permanent label. The removable label preferably has appliance energy usage information imaged thereon, while the permanent label is of durable paper, plastic film, or metal foil, and has an appliance number ID number imaged thereon. The release material preferably is a silicone coating, and the static printing is preferably provided on both the top and bottom surfaces.
According to another aspect of the present invention a business form is provided comprising the following elements: A paper substrate having top and bottom surfaces. Static printing on the top surface. A release material spot coating on the top surface, covering a first portion of the top surface of a size significantly less than the entire top surface. A removable label with repositional adhesive applied over the release material spot coating, with the repositional adhesive of the removable label contacting the spot coating. And a permanent label having permanent adhesive, the permanent adhesive adhered to the substrate, spaced from the removable label, in a manner that allows ready removal of the permanent label.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention a method of applying information to and with an electrical appliance, using a paper substrate, is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) Printing appliance registration information on the paper substrate. (b) Applying a repositional adhesive label on the paper substrate. (c) Applying a permanent adhesive label on the paper substrate spaced from the repositional adhesive label. (d) Variably imaging information on the paper substrate, repositional adhesive label, and permanent adhesive label. (e) Removing the repositional and permanent adhesive labels from the substrate and applying them to the electrical appliance. And (f) detaching the appliance registration information from the rest of the substrate, and associating the appliance registration information with the appliance.
The method according to the invention also preferably comprises the further step, between steps (a) and (b), of applying a release material coat to a first portion of the substrate, and step (b) is practiced to apply the repositional adhesive label over that first portion. Step (c) is preferably practiced by blowing on a piggyback label. Step (d) is preferably practiced, with a non-impact or impact printer to variably image a common ID number on the paper substrate, repositional adhesive label, and permanent adhesive label.
The paper substrate is preferably provided with perforations, and step (f) is practiced to detach the appliance registration information from the rest of the substrate along the perforations, and to put it in the same packaging as the appliance (either entirely separate from the appliance, or connected to the appliance with a string, tape, or the like). Also, either there is the further step prior to step (b), or step (d) is practiced, so as to print energy cost information on the repositional adhesive label.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an effective business form, and method of applying information to and with an electrical appliance, that greatly facilitate associating information with an appliance. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.